製造商: Cartier 年份: 1996 錶殼號碼: A110020 型號名稱: Tank à Guichets 材料: 18K yellow gold 機芯: Manual, jeweled 錶帶/ 錶鏈: Leather 錶扣: 18K gold Cartier deployant clasp 尺寸: 24.5mm Width and 35.5mm Length 簽名: Case, dial, movement and clasp signed
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A variant of the original Tank wristwatch, the Tank à Guichets was first introduced in 1928. Featuring jumping hours at the upper portion of the dial, the watch also displays a minutes indicator at 6 o'clock. Its name derives from the apertures, which "jump" as the time advances. "Jump Hour" wristwatches were particularly popular in the 1920s and 1930s. Today, these wristwatches are incredibly evocative of the Art Deco period.
The present watch is an absolutely stunning re-interpretation of the original model. In 1996, Cartier celebrated their 150th anniversary by producing a series of limited edition Tank à Guichets. While 150 examples were produced in platinum with a ruby cabochon crown, 100 examples were produced in pink gold with a sapphire cabochon crown. In addition, for their most exclusive clients, Cartier created three series of Tank à Guichets each in yellow gold, platinum and rose gold, with each series having 3 examples. These models were slightly smaller and had a crown at 12 o'clock - a true ode to the original example from the 1920s.
The present watch thus presents a new discovery to the Cartier horological community - with a serial number of A110020, it is only four digits away from the last known yellow gold special edition Tank à Guichets which is numbered 3/3 and A110016. Thus, one can conclude that Cartier had made this timepiece upon special request for a VIP client who did not have the opportunity to purchase one of the original 3 series produced.
With the Constitution of 1848 came a new standard for luxury in France. Founded one year prior by Louis-Francois Cartier, the house of Cartier was one of the first to use platinum in jewelry making. This incredibly expensive material became the stepping-stone for Cartier to experiment in form, mechanisms and attitude. It helped men move from pocket watches to wristwatches, effectively making the watch much more functional and prominent in a man's overall wardrobe.
Cartier did not only touch on functionality. Inspired by a commissioned painting by George Barbier featuring a black panther at the feet of an elegantly bejeweled woman, Cartier began incorporating wild animals in his designs—most notably, Cartier Panthère rings, bangle bracelets and watches. Yet it wasn't until the late 1960s that the house of Cartier debuted their iconic yellow and rose gold LOVE collection, which includes the famous bracelet that only a special screwdriver can open.